Dear anyone,
Your duolingo forum registration isn't automaticaly transferred to duome forum so in order to join duome forums you need to register with your existing or any other username and email; in any case it's advised that you choose a new password for the forum.
~ Duome Team

Las pinturas y las lámparas se movían y yo gritaba. (en → es) Topic is solved

Moderators: Stasia, xillegas

sentence bot 🤖

Las pinturas y las lámparas se movían y yo gritaba. (en → es)

Post by sentence bot 🤖 »

Las pinturas y las lámparas se movían y yo gritaba.

en: The paintings and lamps were moving, and I was screaming.

Duolingo forum topic: https://forum.duolingo.com/comment/46527948

User avatar
dochawk
United States of America

Re: Las pinturas y las lámparas se movían y yo gritaba. (en → es)

Post by dochawk »

i find the use of the imperfect for gritar a bit surprising. I would expect the preterite, as it would seem to be something that would happen, and presumably be complete as he fled

wayfarer

Re: Las pinturas y las lámparas se movían y yo gritaba. (en → es)

Post by wayfarer »

Depends on the nuance you want to impart. If you mean to focus on the idea that in that specific moment you screamed then yes you could say:

Las pinturas y las lámparas se movían y [en ese momento,] yo grité



But the sentance as given works in the sense of describing various things that were happening concurrently: 'the pictures were moving + the lamps were moving + I was screaming...'

You could imagine adding other things to the list as well: 'the doors were creaking, the curtains were billowing, chains were rattling, your friends were running away' etc so that the fact of your screaming is just one of the things happening within a dramatic moment you are describing.

In which case imperfect works better

John238922
Australia

Re: Las pinturas y las lámparas se movían y yo gritaba. (en → es)

Post by John238922 »

dochawk wrote: Tue Jun 28, 2022 2:39 am

i find the use of the imperfect for gritar a bit surprising. I would expect the preterite, as it would seem to be something that would happen, and presumably be complete as he fled

Pretty big difference between 'I was screaming' and 'I screamed'.

User avatar
dochawk
United States of America

Re: Las pinturas y las lámparas se movían y yo gritaba. (en → es)

Post by dochawk »

yes, which is why i'm surprised :)

It's the sentence that is odd, not the translation of the sentence.

wayfarer

Re: Las pinturas y las lámparas se movían y yo gritaba. (en → es)

Post by wayfarer »

What's odd about it?

Post Reply

Return to “Sentence discussions”